(10-04) 14:36 PDT SAN JOSE -- A stolen puppy will be reunited Thursday afternoon with the San Jose girl who offered to give her piggy bank savings as part of the reward for the dog's safe return.

The puppy, a Shih-Tzu-Yorkie mix named Meeko, will be returned to 10-year-old Marissa Mabanag after it was found Wednesday 80 miles away in the parking lot of a Target store in Merced County, officials said.

The dog disappeared after the girl's family home was burglarized Monday, officials said.

Blanca Del Real, a Los Baños (Merced County) resident, was shopping Wednesday at the Target store in her hometown when she learned employees had corralled Meeko in the parking lot near the store, said Jim Unland, president of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.

Del Real offered to take the apparently stray dog home, Unland said. But later that day she read a story about the missing puppy and realized that the dog she brought home to her young son might be the missing animal.

She called Marissa's family, who then asked Los Baños Animal Control to come out and check the puppy's microchip - and it was a match.

Del Real will receive the $6,000 reward for the puppy's safe return, Unland said. $5,000 of the money comes from the SJPOA and San Jose Firefighters Local 230, and $1,000 comes from San Jose City Councilmember Ash Kalra's office.

The city plans to host a press conference Thursday afternoon to surprise Marissa and her sister with the return of the dog and to recognize Del Real for helping reunite the family with their pet, Unland said.